When you go around Austin, you will likely stumble upon T-shirts, mugs, stickers and billboards bearing the words “Keep Austin Weird”. Keep Austin Weird is the unofficial slogan that identifies the city of Austin. Although not sanctioned by the government, this slogan has gained so much popularity in similar fashion as the other famous Austin moniker – “The Live Music Capital of the World”. But where did this slogan came from?
The phrase was believed to be coined by Red Wassenich in 2000. He said he blurted the words out after a fundraising event to an Austin radio station. Later on, the phrase became popular it was printed on bumper stickers. Wassenich went on to operate a website keepaustinweird.com and launched a book entitled Keep Austin Weird: A Guide to the Odd Side of the Town. The slogan, however, was trademarked by Outhouse Designs and the company capitalized on it by marketing T-shirts, mugs and hats.
The term was also adopted by the Austin Independent Business Alliance as its body’s official slogan. The phrase became even more popular when it was used as a campaign slogan by local businesses to fight off bigger and outsider businesses. The local bookstore, BookPeople and the local music store, Waterloo Records protested in 2002 against the arrival and development of bookstore giant, Borders just across their street. Their use of the Keep Austin Weird slogan made their efforts a total success.
This odd city slogan was also adopted by other places like Louisville, KY and Portland, OR. So, don’t be surprised if you encounter “Keep Louisville Weird” or “Keep Portland Weird” slogans. The original, of course, came from Austin.